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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26188681">low tide gives way to high tide</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account'>orphan_account</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Rock Band, Awkward Flirting, Crush at First Sight, Idol!Armin AU, M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 05:53:07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,046</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26188681</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>TSUNAMI is an emergent Rock band that is invited to play ARU's opening act at the 2021 version of the Rock in Japan festival. Realizing there's a huge challenge ahead, the band leader reaches out to the idol for help.</p><p>This fic was based on twt @1010arts' Idol!Armin and TSUNAMI band AU.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Armin Arlert &amp; Jean Kirstein, Armin Arlert/Jean Kirstein</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>35</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>low tide gives way to high tide</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The day their manager told them about playing at one of Japan’s greatest festivals, their eyes had gone wide open. TSUNAMI was well-known for initially giving away all their compositions as uncopyrighted. Although Eren had been insistent on stopping that, Jean promised the rest of the crew that it’d only bring them the attention they craved for. In their early days, they had been active enough on their social media for people to take an interest in their music. They worked their asses off to promote the emerging band any way they could, playing near subway stations and outside the Narita airport to get the attention of foreigners. As much as people seemed to love their music, no one approached them to get to know anything about them. Before receiving the news, they had just been working on what Ymir assured them would be a hit, so getting the chance to show themselves to Japan <em>in situ</em> and all the available online platforms streaming the concert knocked them off their feet.</p><p>“This is our year!” Sasha exclaimed excitedly, smashing Connie’s drumsticks together way too hard. “So we just have a few months left?! Let’s start planning the setlist right. fuckin’. now.”</p><p>“Sash’, wait,” Marco held out his hands defensively, taking the drumsticks out of hers. “I’m not finished! Everyone, look, this is huge. But not enormous.”</p><p>“It’s still Rock in Japan,” Connie replied from his seat behind the drums. “What could be bigger than this to us?”</p><p>When Marco shrugged and giggled awkwardly, Ymir understood immediately. Taking some hair from her half-bob behind her ear, she sat on Sasha’s chair, pressing their bottoms together until she got enough space for herself. “We’re not having a full-concert experience, are we?”</p><p>“TSUNAMI is doing ARU’s opening act,” their manager replied, sitting cross-legged on the floor as he stared up at everyone’s disbelieving faces.</p><p>“ARU? No way,” Eren said perplexed, blinking slowly back at the tall man before him. “We don’t even have much in common. We’ll be the bait.”</p><p>“It’s better than playing at Nara Park with all the animals escaping our music, asshole,” Jean hushed him angrily, trying to control the expectations of everybody else. “This is a one-in-a-million chance. You should be grateful.”</p><p>“Do you even know who that is?” Connie asked Jean, intrigued to know if their leader had finally come out of his cave to try out some current music.</p><p>“No, but I guess we’ll work things out or else.”</p><p>“Jean, you uncultured clod,” Sasha gasped, taking her phone out of her skirt pocket to open her music player. “Bro, ARU is huge! He even has a light stick! He’s Japan’s Ariana… or even better, BTS!”</p><p>“I still don’t know how we’re playing before ARU,” Eren brought his doubts back, silencing his bandmates to get an answer that would suffice out of poor Marco, who constantly had to put up with his grumpiness. “I insist. Music genre compatibility anybody?”</p><p>“Look, TSUNAMI was one of the emergent bands to be sorted out, and we got to work alongside ARU this time,” Marco explained simply as he offered an easy smile to his underlings. “You guys aren’t that different, though – Let’s just do our best and give the people something great to talk about!”</p><p>Getting some nodding out of most of the members, the manager stood up to wish them a great session and left. While they were in silence, all of them thinking it was more than they could chew, Sasha took a moment to show Jean one of ARU’s concerts. Although it was not his kind of music, like most songs being released nowadays in the style of mass-produced pentatonic scales, Jean appreciated the fact that at least the guy could sing. However, when ARU’s most popular tune came to an end, the lead singer and guitarist snorted, getting the attention of the rest of the members.</p><p>“How could he go under such a dumb name, though?” he laughed it out, the wrinkles around his eyes accompanying the genuine nose scrunch Jean wasn’t so used to doing.</p><p>“I never even understood why we’re TSUNAMI,” Ymir commented drily, “It’s as meaningless as ARU’s.”</p><hr/><p>Although they had planned to play up to eight of their songs, people at the festival let them know last-minute that they’d only be able to play four before ARU’s big show. Hearing Eren’s grunting from behind, the rest of the members felt their shoulders fall in disappointment despite how hard Marco had tried to be optimistic about it. Connie did some weird analogy about how it had felt like when doves lose a wing to some air conditioning blades, and Sasha followed until Jean stopped them, leaving the band’s tent to go all the way to the one where ARU’s staff was. There still was an hour left for them to start playing, and their instruments had already been positioned on the stage. The sound of people entering the festival to watch their favorite artists made Jean’s stomach turn, and the feeling was inconveniently increased when he heard ARU’s fans cheering for the guy to start his show soon. By the time he arrived at ARU’s tent, he tentatively put his left foot in, waiting for the stage fright to wash away while he breathed in and out as calmly as he could. Those last two months, he had researched everything and anything about ARU’s music, popularity, and <em>nami</em>. God, <em>nami</em> were surely the worst part of the deal. A handful of cheesy teens holding out for their hero was probably the most chaotic thing they’d have to overcome… or downright just push aside to finish their show alive. Moving his right leg to get inside the tent, a hand to his chest stopped him in his tracks and pushed him outside, his head almost hitting the cold steel of the tent’s structure.</p><p>“Sorry, should’ve known I’d get checked,” Jean started apologetically, taking a few steps back to let the guard on the other side deny him permission to get anywhere near the star. Surprised by the pastel colors of a way-too-normal attire, he watched the tiny figure opposite him in bewilderment. First of all, he hadn’t expected to meet ARU in real life. Second, he hadn’t expected the kid to be so strong and, third, he hadn’t expected to see him in such regular clothing. He was used to seeing him in his usual sparkly, white shirt and prince-like gowns. Not that.</p><p>“Shoot, my bad,” he heard Japan’s showstopper reply as if he were one more of his popular colleagues. Jean was struck by the kind treatment of such a famous person. As far as he was concerned, money and fame made everyone greedy and pretentious. At least, he was sure he’d be like that once TSUNAMI made it big – it was inevitable. Jean and success had been meant to be. “You don’t know how tough it can be to push these away to get some fresh air.”</p><p>“I actually wanted to speak,” Jean said, straightforward as ever, as he took ARU off guard. Observing the idol’s face attentively, he went on. “I kinda wanted to ask you a favor.”</p><p>“I wonder if it’s the same thing I thought about,” ARU replied expectantly, letting his baby blue eyes wander from Jean’s choker-decorated collar to his Adam’s apple, to his untamed hair before they landed on TSUNAMI’s leader’s hazel eyes. Taking his light-colored merch hat off to let the wind caress his locks and scalp, he looked up, fixated on the uncertainty of getting the right demands. After all, he was quite tired of being asked for photos to promote others, but he wouldn’t say so. It would’ve been too rude, and the guy in front of him certainly looked like he could put up a fight anytime. “You go first.”</p><p>“Could we, uh-“ Jean felt intimidated by the shorter singer’s inquiring eyes, so his mind played tricks on him to sum up his intentions. “Is there any way you could keep us some company before your show?”</p><p>“Nami?” ARU asked loudly, grinning back at the lead singer. “I was about to go tell you guys the same thing!”</p><p>“Could you?” Jean exhaled, feeling the tension on his shoulders go away as he watched the blonde man smile up at him.</p><p>“Of course, silly!” the star assured the newbie, wearing his hat again to go unnoticed by the people surrounding them. In the first place, he wasn’t even supposed to be out of the tent. He should’ve been rehearsing for the big event ahead of him. “Great minds think alike. Alright, I’ll tell you the details as we go so both can explain the plan to your band. What do you think?”</p><p>“Sure. Cool.”</p><p>Walking back to the band’s tent, ARU warned him about all the possible outcomes of what they were meant to do. Jean realized that, though the singer had remained at his nicest, he was holding back from spilling the beans. Watching the boy go over details about his fanbase, how they’d probably react, and any allegations they could get, Jean smiled to himself, much more relaxed than he’d been before meeting the idol.</p><p>“Are you listening? It’s a lot to take in.”</p><p>“I know, I know. Go on,” the guitarist laughed lightly, patting the other’s shoulder to assure him he wasn’t as absent-minded as he looked. Indeed, he was.</p><hr/><p>Explaining the plan had been by far the easiest part. While Jean talked to the rest of the TSUNAMI crew about what they were about to do and its benefits – for instance, not being eaten alive out there – ARU called his manager to rearrange his schedules and make it all work. Initially, he had meant to approach the team friendly enough for them to have a great festival debut. They had great songs, and he knew they didn’t deserve to be booed by an audience who just wasn’t patient enough to wait for the main show. Most of his <em>nami</em> were teenagers who were too serious about him as a role model, something he could never quite get his head around. Fortunately, though most of the crowd went the extra mile just to please him, they weren’t an awful lot. Therefore, he only needed them to be aware of TSUNAMI being there <em>with </em>him and not <em>because</em> of him. That wasn’t true at all, but one of the first things he’d learned to do in the music biz was lying. A lot. Way too much for his liking. Watching Jean from afar, who often directed his eyes back at him to look for approval, ARU stood still as he phoned his superior. He kept on nodding to let the other know he was on the right track when he realized it took the guitarist a lot of effort to say what he’d been meant to say. Speaking on the phone, he rearranged the few things he wanted to change about his show and hung up to accompany Jean on the mission. At some point, two of his bandmates had already started asking questions to which he knew the answers, yet their leader hadn’t seemed to internalize any of them somehow.</p><p>“ARU, help,” Sasha called out as he put his phone back in one of his pants pockets. “Jean is about to explode. Please, tell us your version since he is no use. Ymir, Eren, shut it. You can’t behave like this in the presence of the king of the ocean.”</p><p>ARU chuckled at her statement and stood next to Jean, who had already given up explaining and was red on the cheeks, probably from holding back a lot of insults that were supposed to land on his bandmates’ ears. Putting both hands on his hips, he waited for the bandleader to finish his talking. Realizing it was of no use, Jean paused mid-explanation and stared into ARU’s eyes just the way when they’d just met a few minutes before. Simply put, intensely lost.</p><p>“Shit, at least I tried,” he heard the tall, slender man whisper next to him, at which he involuntarily smiled. “Don’t laugh at me. What’s your name anyway? ARU is kinda uncomfortable because it’s not like you at all.”</p><p>“I’m Armin,” the blonde boy replied at about the same volume, noticing how the rest of the group waited for them to pop their bubble and carry on with the explanations. Bringing a chair over, he sat down and cleared his throat. “Hi everybody. It’s so nice to finally meet you. The plan’s not so difficult to follow – I guess Jean just got nervous about it all.”</p><p>Soon after getting together with the band, Armin patted Jean’s arm before fleeing the tent to prepare himself. After discussing what they were meant to do, there was absolutely no way he’d avoid touching. The idol wasn’t used to being clingy and needy around people, but rather the opposite. Nevertheless, in his fans’ eyes, the cuter he got in front of them, the better the chances of delivering a round product. Turning back one last time to face the TSUNAMI kids climb up the stairs to start their show, he caught Jean staring back at him, seemingly helplessly. Shaking his head with eyes open like plates, Armin tried to reassure Jean that it’d all be fine. He generally wouldn’t have had so much faith in anybody after the third try, but something in Jean showed Armin that there was no way he could fail. Holding out both his thumbs up, he beamed at the guitarist and motioned for him to fix his twisted guitar strap around the shoulder quickly. Then, he went inside his tent to prepare himself for the show. There were twenty minutes left, and he couldn’t wait for time to go by and be on the stage with them soon. Lifting the cover of his seashell watch, Armin did some warm-up exercises as he walked around, getting the last details ready before his big entrance.</p><hr/><p>Although Marco had always been uncertain about who was supposed to take responsibility for the whole group on stage, right there backstage, he could tell they’d chosen the right leader. Jean had quickly picked up the pace of amiable, short presentations and interlude, which was of great help to tame the crowd before them. Fortunately, he was good looking enough to make even the pickiest fans swoon at his stage persona. As insecure and often hesitant as the guitarist used to show himself with the rest of the band, something inside of him switched to a completely different type of guy. The only person Marco had made sure to reinforce throughout the first song was TSUNAMI’s drummer. From time to time, Marco would whisper at Connie hiding from one side of where they stood, motioning for him to show himself much more comfortable than he looked. Although he’d done well so far, being in front of so many teenagers had given him a huge headache.</p><p><em>Rusty Honesty</em> was blasting through the scenario’s loudspeakers, making all of ARU’s fans positively speechless, their mouths wide agape at Jean and Eren’s singing and the catchy melody and rhythm. Their guitars and low voices at the beginning of the song caught everyone’s attention almost immediately, putting everyone off with their talent. Overall, the whole team had decided to just go and have fun, showing the best they had. Even though they would only have the chance to play have their setlist, they had been quick enough to pick their strongest songs. Ymir had been in charge of putting everything in order and explaining the song transitions to the rest, while Sasha helped each one of them with the way they were supposed to behave in front of the mass of <em>nami</em>. When their first song came to an end, everybody gave them a standing ovation for offering something that they themselves weren’t so sure of. Bowing in front of the crowd, Jean smirked before nodding in Eren’s direction for him to take control of the following song.</p><p>By the time they reached their closure performance, <em>You See Big Girl</em>, their audience was pleased to have them there, enjoying every bit of their songs before it was time for them to leave. Nevertheless, when they were all prepared to leave, Sasha started playing the first notes of ARU’s top hit, moving her head to the calm beat as she repeated it the times ARU had told her to. Eren, Ymir, and Connie quickly ran backstage, patting Jean’s shoulder as they switched places with ARU’s band. Being the last one to enter the stage, leaving Jean as expectant as his rabid fanbase, Armin ran to take the center stage, quickly glancing at TSUNAMI’s lead and keyboard. Giving Sasha the sign to start singing <em>Far Away</em>, he pointed his finger at the keyboard player with a huge smile on his face, feeling more breathless than he’d expected to be. Armin was not used to improvising his shows due to the severe criticism he got after every performance, yet the people who had been there waiting for him seemed more than pleased with the result. Walking closer to Jean, he pushed him to where he’d just been standing, both of them being completely visible to the crowd. Winking at the taller man next to him, which was supposed to be the signal for him to accompany Sasha’s playing and his own band’s drums, Armin giggled in one of his song’s pauses. Jean’s wide eyes stared at him in return as the guitarist stood a bit closer to him.</p><p>“Do you know any of my music?” Armin had asked on their way to TSUNAMI. “You don’t seem the kind of guy who’d listen to me, Mr. School-Ruined-My-Life.”</p><p>“I’m listening,” Jean had replied carelessly in return, grinning down at the Popstar.</p><p>“<em>Far Away</em>? No?”</p><p>“I could learn it like, right now,” Jean had shrugged the matter off in return, seemingly overconfident. “I <em>do </em>remember your song, though. I’m not stupid; of course, I did some research before meeting you.”</p><p>“Good boy,” Armin had smiled at Jean, and the memory of his sparkly eyes made him return to the present violently sweetly. “We’ll have to sing the chorus together so it looks convincing. We don’t have much time, so we’ll start practicing as we go.”</p><p>Hearing Armin’s soft voice sound all around him made Jean’s insides turn to jelly. He had definitely underappreciated the man in every possible way, but he just couldn’t help it. Gently letting his fingers move to the chords he remembered from listening to ARU’s and probably Japan’s youth’s anthem a couple times, he was surprised to catch the boy staring back at him the whole time. Surprisingly enough, that sweet smile never left him, and Jean soon found himself unable to maintain eye contact for more than it was necessary. Once the song finished after Sasha played the last few notes on her old Yamaha, the loud yelling of the <em>nami</em> present almost deafened him. Following their plan to the letter, he waited for Armin to say his final thanks before continuing the show without them.</p><p>“A big applause to TSUNAMI’s Jean Kirschstein and Sasha Braus, everybody!” ARU commanded his fans as he looked at Jean, scrunching his nose cutely before they shared a farewell hug. According to plan, they were meant to just hug it out and leave the place immediately, yet when his nose nuzzled Armin’s perfectly styled hair, he felt a weird kind of electricity run through him. There was no way he’d develop an on-stage crush on their debut way.</p><p>Bowing to ARU’s fans, who had apparently taken an interest in how they interacted, he raised a hand to wave goodbye at everyone who had been present in their show. Nevertheless, as his hand went up the air, Armin caught it in his, making the guitarist turn to him immediately. Completely off the script, ARU bowed at him out of what seemed to be gratitude and kissed the back of his hand before granting him one last shy grin. Smiling back not to make their plan seem too obvious, Jean ruffled Armin’s hair and quickly ran backstage, where he lost himself in wolf-whistling of the rest of his band.</p><p>“You are a frickin’ whore, Jean!” Eren yelled, laughing loudly as he made fun of his bandleader with Ymir.</p><p>“There is absolutely no way we’re not coming up strong now,” Sasha spoke at the speed of light, giving Connie a high-five. “Jean, whatever you guys planned, it worked.”</p><p>“What are you talking about?” he answered, completely put off by the rest’s enthusiasm. Being honest, not even he knew that Armin would go the extra mile to give them a chance to shine. The skin where the blonde’s lips had been still tingled from the soft brush.</p><p>“Jean, not to scare you or anything, but–“ Marco began, scrolling down the apps he had opened on his phone. “You guys are trending topic worldwide right now. Not to mention the insane amount of kids worshipping a relationship that doesn’t even exist.”</p><p>“What?” he sighed, channeling his most objective impressions not to believe whatever Marco was talking about.</p><p>“Jearmin!” Connie sang behind him, and TSUNAMI’s leader couldn’t even begin to fathom how crazy ARU’s fans actually were. Blowing him kisses with both hands, their drummer continued, “Woo-hoo! Seems like you’ve got a boyfriend.”</p><p>“It was just his prince persona putting on a show. You know how effective fanservice can be,” Jean replied way too loudly, biting his lower lip as he tried to make a point. Noticing how everyone hadn’t bought what he said at all, he went back to hearing what he could from the rest of ARU’s songs.</p><p>Watching ARU in one of the big screens displayed for the audience, he noticed the gleam in the singer’s eyes as he went on with his show. Crossing his arms on his chest, Jean huffed. Armin had done it on purpose.</p><hr/><p>“I’m famous now, or so it’d seem,” Jean gruntled, taking the sky-blue light stick in his hand as if it were some kind of weapon with which he could threaten Armin. “Why didn’t you tell me that was part of your plan?”</p><p>“The cuter I am, the better it turns out,” Armin answered amused by Jean’s reaction, taking the merch item from the other man’s hands. “How did <em>this</em> get to you anyway?”</p><p>“Some hardcore <em>nami</em> came to me and. Jesus, they said they would kill me if I ever hurt you. They’re so fucking scary.”</p><p>“No way.”</p><p>“Yes way, pal,” Jean laughed it off, “I guess you already know the rest of the news? Christ, I never intended to become your slut!”</p><p>Unzipping his coat, Armin showed him the pastel-colored edition of TSUNAMI’s freedom hoodie. Staring in disbelief, Jean’s hands roamed on the fabric, feeling the texture of their trademark freedom design in what seemed to be a blasphemy to his band’s merch.</p><p>“How is this possible?”</p><p>“Well, I guess we had people rooting for us ever since their eyes lay on our concert’s photoshopped poster,” Armin explained calmly, smelling the inside of his hoodie to prove a point. “It even smells like you. I just don’t wanna know the troubles the person who sent me this went through to know what you smell like.”</p><p>“I hope it’s not anything close to dog poop.”</p><p>“Not even close,” Armin beamed up at Jean, and he untangled the other’s fist from his piece of clothing. “It’s kinda cute, though. Now, I’ll remember you forever.”</p><p>“Well, that’s what they say,” the guitarist elbowed Japan’s sweetheart softly, smirking at him, “TSUNAMI is hard to forget.”</p><p>“And so are you, I guess?”</p><p>If anyone had told Jean he would have one of the most influential Popstars crushing on him the same day of his band’s debut, he would’ve never believed it. However, taking an awful selfie from a phone he barely knew how to use, he exchanged numbers with ARU to keep in touch. If it all went well, they could come up with a plan to have TSUNAMI and ARU make a collab. In the meantime, they would have one another and, maybe, something they could look forward to.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This is my third Jearmin fic of all time! This one was so much fun to write. I hope not to disappoint! Ten is such a great artist that I hope I did the artworks some justice.</p><p>Please check her work on twitter or instagram: @1010arts!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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